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Even more dangerous to our economy and way of life than greedy bankers - As part of MOD’s full-spectrum military capability, the Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond, has announced that the department is set to recruit hundreds of computer experts as cyber reservists to help defend the UK ’s national security, working at the cutting-edge of the nation’s cyber defences.

Mr Hammond confirmed the creation of a new Joint Cyber Reserve which will see reservists working alongside regular forces to protect critical computer networks and safeguard vital data.
Press release & links ~ Cyber Security Information Sharing Partnership ~ CH:  Cyber Security & Global Interdependence: What Is Critical? ~ A Measured US Policy for Cyber Offence & Defence?~ SOCA:  Is nothing sacred? (5^th item) ~ BIS:  A case of ‘Not if, but when’ your organisation’s ICT systems are breached (7^th item) ~ NAO:  The new ‘frontline’ is both civilian & military (8^th item) ~ PC&PE:  We no longer wield such a big stick ~ Is your organization in denial about Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks?

A person is much more than just their ‘looks’ - Minister for Women & Equalities Jo Swinson, hosted the first international conference recently with leading experts from around the globe to discuss the current state of the existing evidence on body image.

In May the Government published a rapid evidence review into the existing research on body image.  The conference aimed to build on this review, our understanding of the evidence, and to identify any gaps in knowledge.  The findings & the expertise of the academics who attended the event will help drive forward the government’s thinking on the future direction of work in this area.
Press release & links ~ Government’s Body Confidence Campaign celebrates success and welcomes new action ~ Parent pack for child body confidence launched ~ Body Image Parent Pack ~ Magazine praised for body confidence work ~ Body Confidence Campaign ~ Ch4:  Body Confidence ~ APPG on Body Image

Accidental invention ‘flows’ from TSB funding & support - The potential nightmare of the complex data attached to the making of every TV programme & cinema film has been turned into a sweet dream for a young British software company, made possible by funding & support from the Technology Strategy Board.

ZOO Digital of Sheffield and the TSB had realised that metadata is the key to allow the different components of a media asset to be tracked & managed.  By working on this ZOO also realised that by designing it into the workflow, the workflow itself is improved, thus leading to a brand new data management system.
Press release & links ~ ZOO Digital

Looking back at the ‘Thin Multi-racial Line’ - There is a rich history of racial diversity in the Armed Forces of the British Crown which can be traced back over several centuries.  To mark Black History Month the MoD will be profiling members of the UK Armed Forces from countries across the world.

The largest contingent of military forces outside of the came from .  The Indian Army started life in the 17th century when the East India Company recruited local personnel to guard its interests, although formed units were not organised until the mid-18th century.
Press release & links ~ Black History Month ~ Forever India ~ We Were There exhibition ~ For whom the Bells Toll ~ Caribbean women in WW2 ~ Black SAS war hero who held off 250 rebels single-handed to be immortalised in statue ~ Walter Tull and the black Great War heroes of the British Army ~ Black / Asian British Army ~ BBC:  A White Man's War? World War One and the West Indies ~ Looking for records of a person in the African forces under British control

Above & Beyond - A total of 117 members of the Armed Forces have received honours & awards in the latest Operational Honours & Awards List.
Press release & links ~ Military courage recognised by Operational Honours List

Can afford to ‘save’ its oil money? – Finance Secretary John Swinney has welcomed Fiscal Commission Working Group’s report on Stabilisation & Savings Funds for Scotland, which sets out a framework that will ‘help to maximise the economic opportunity that Scotland’s oil & gas wealth presents and ensure that it provides a lasting benefit for future generations’.

The Working Group recommends that both a short-term stabilisation fund and a long-term savings fund should be established immediately following independence.
Press release & links ~ Maximising the return from Oil & Gas in an independent Scotland ~ Cable: UK single market is key to Scotland’s future success ~ Scotland can more than afford to be independent ~ Call for tax regime to maximise recovery ~ Scotland’s proposed oil fund: more than just hot air? ~ Scottish independence: George Osborne warns on oil fund ~ ScotGov:  But do the FM’s figures add up when analysed in hard-headed Glasgow? ~ PC&PE:  Still many questions to be answered before voters can make an informed choice, rather than emotional choice (4^th item)

Fewer expensive over-runs for government projects in future? - The first leaders have graduated from the Major Projects Leadership Academy.  21 civil servants have graduated from the academy designed specifically to train leaders who manage major projects across the public sector such as infrastructure, commercial and organisational change projects.

The programme is designed to equip future leaders with the skills & knowledge to enable them to deliver successfully major projects on time and within budget.  As part of the future Treasury approvals process for major programmes, all project leaders & senior responsible owners will have to complete the programme.  By the end of 2014, 340 project leaders will have graduated or be participating on the programme.
Press release & links ~ Major Projects Leadership Academy ~ Major Projects Authority ~ CO:  No more silos in a future Civil Service? (2^nd item) ~ MPs publish report on the dismantled National Programme for IT in the NHS ~ Government launches new guide to infrastructure delivery ~ MPs publish report on assurance for major projects ~ NAO:  Assurance for major projects

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